Cost of Living Comparison Between Italy and Afghanistan Cost of Living Comparison Between Italy and Afghanistan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,717 per month in Italy vs $235 in Afghanistan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,624 per month in Italy vs $327 in Afghanistan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,530 per month in Italy vs $419 in Afghanistan, rent included.

Italy costs about 631% more than Afghanistan on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Italy sits 28% above the global median, while Afghanistan is 82% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Italy
Afghanistan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.44 €15.00
$2.18 ؋138
700.00%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$79.5 €68.4
$9.92 ؋630
701.11%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.76 €10.11
$3.67 ؋233
220.44%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$2.84 ؋180
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$7.25 ؋461
-
Cappuccino
$2.00 €1.72
$0.92 ؋58.5
117.39%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.00 €2.58
$0.41 ؋26.04
631.71%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.35 €1.16
$0.14 ؋8.89
864.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.94 €5.11
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.36 €4.61
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Italy
Afghanistan
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.64 €1.41
$0.75 ؋47.82
118.67%
White Bread (500g)
$2.41 €2.07
$0.23 ؋14.62
947.83%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.99 €2.58
$1.67 ؋106
79.04%
Eggs
$3.96 €3.41
$1.52 ؋96.7
160.53%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.84 €14.49
$3.76 ؋239
347.87%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.43 €10.69
$3.40 ؋216
265.59%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.29 €17.46
$5.84 ؋371
247.43%
Apples (1kg)
$2.47 €2.13
$0.60 ؋38.26
311.67%
Banana (1kg)
$2.15 €1.85
$0.84 ؋53.5
155.95%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.65 €2.28
$0.76 ؋48.03
248.68%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.40 €2.92
$0.47 ؋29.91
623.40%
Potato (1kg)
$1.92 €1.65
$0.44 ؋27.80
336.36%
Onion (1kg)
$1.81 €1.56
$0.40 ؋25.16
352.50%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.55 €1.33
$0.32 ؋20.46
384.38%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.54 €0.46
$0.32 ؋20.32
68.75%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$1.87 ؋119
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$0.70 ؋44.30
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.45 ؋92.4
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.79 €5.84
$2.24 ؋142
203.12%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.18 €6.18
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80 €1.55
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.42 €2.08
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Italy
Afghanistan
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.00 €1.72
$0.30 ؋19.16
566.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$42.35 €36.43
$12.38 ؋786
242.08%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.94 €5.11
$1.40 ؋88.7
324.29%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.51 €1.30
$0.65 ؋41.51
132.31%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$34.04 €29.28
$1.68 ؋107
1926.19%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.05 €1.76
$1.03 ؋65.6
99.03%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.8K €28.2K
$8,556 ؋543.4K
283.81%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.7K €29.0K
$36.8K ؋2.3M
-8.46%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Italy
Afghanistan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$225 €194
$76.8 ؋4,875
193.66%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.25 €11.40
$14.68 ؋932
-9.74%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.95 €26.62
$148 ؋9,381
-79.05%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Italy
Afghanistan
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$55.7 €47.95
$9.78 ؋621
469.94%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.15 €21.63
$3.21 ؋204
683.49%
Cinema Ticket
$10.25 €8.82
$2.51 ؋159
308.37%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Italy
Afghanistan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$576 €495
$23.60 ؋1,499
2339.96%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.5K €8,998
$1,454 ؋92.3K
619.60%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Italy
Afghanistan
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$91.8 €79.0
$14.15 ؋898
548.90%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.72 €35.03
$19.65 ؋1,248
107.23%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.0 €84.3
$33.36 ؋2,119
193.82%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$131 €112
$29.58 ؋1,878
341.99%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Italy
Afghanistan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$860 €740
$81.4 ؋5,169
956.30%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$667 €573
$51.3 ؋3,260
1198.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,475 €1,269
$185 ؋11.7K
698.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,087 €935
$101 ؋6,411
976.70%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,850 €3,312
$631 ؋40.1K
509.92%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,359 €2,029
$340 ؋21.6K
594.62%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Italy
Afghanistan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,933 €1,663
$270 ؋17.2K
615.39%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.41
16.22
-72.81%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Italy: May 31, 2026

Last update for Afghanistan: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $743 in Italy vs $38.00 in Afghanistan. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,325 in Rome and $85.0 in Kabul.

Average salary: $1,949 in Italy vs $236 in Afghanistan. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 1855% higher in Italy.

Dining out costs 1133% more in Italy.

Public transport is 529% more expensive in Italy.

Salaries are 726% higher in Italy, giving Italy stronger purchasing power.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Italy vs Afghanistan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is cheaper: Afghanistan or Italy?
Afghanistan is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 464% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.
Is rent more expensive in Afghanistan or Italy?
Housing costs more in Italy, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Italy consistently has higher rents.
How do daily expenses compare in Afghanistan vs Italy?
Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Afghanistan, contributing to the overall 464% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
Can you live in both Afghanistan and Italy on $800 per month?
$800 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Afghanistan, but in Italy it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
Which country is better for expats: Afghanistan or Italy?
Afghanistan is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.

Italy vs other spots: cost of living compared

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